Untitled timeline

Main

My Birth

08/08/1980 - 08/09/1980

On August 8,1980, my 17 year old mother gave birth to me at Christ Hospital in Oaklawn, Illinois at 7:59 p.m.

Moved Away from my grandparent

March 1987

Moving from my grandparents home was really hard on me. My mom was a single parent, but she was young, and depended on my grandparents to raise me while she partied. Our move was out of punishment to my grandfather after a fight they had. My life was never the same.

Why me?

First traumatic experience

July 1987

My momma was beaten in front of me. She almost died. I was beaten almost daily.

Forced to grow up way to fast

July 1987

At young as I was, my mother was severely depressed. Most of the time spending days in her room without ever seeing her. I was forced to take care of my little brother who was two years younger than me, and my little sister who was just 2 years old. I learned to make sandwiches when we had bread, hot dogs, and Mac and cheese. I remember when we would sometimes get pizza on a rare occasion, and eat left over the next few days even after being left out on top of our stove.

I unfortunately did not know how to do laundry, so we wore dirty clothes a lot. We suffered bad especially because of that, we were made fun of a lot in school.

The marriage

I thought when my mom got married, things would be better. And for a little bit it did. We moved in a nice neighborhood, a nice little house, there was only one thing really creepy for me: we moved in with my step dad's crazy mom. She would pace the halls at night, and told us there was a ghost she speaks to at night. I was scared, we would hide in the room all day with the door locked. Eventually she was placed in a nursing home, and it's like hell started all over for us. This time we were always in trouble for something, and anything we could be hit with, we were.

The marriage

April 1988

My first best friend

June 1989

One good thing about moving to the new house with my step father was that I finally made my very first best friend. Her name was Fatin, she just moved here from jersey, little did I know this would become a place where I spent a lot of my time.

First boyfriend

1990

My first boyfriend, and my very first love. His name was Ferris, who was also conveniently my best friends twin brother. We spent so much time together, living so close we were always together. Little did I know, he would become very popular once we hit high school, and we didn't speak much after that.

High School Years

First day of high school

Approx. 08/15/1994

I was really nervous my first day of high school. Most of my friends were a year younger. I tried to just blend in, and I was very shy. I didn't speak to many people, and many people did not notice me.

Rebellion

07/01/1995

I started hanging with the wrong crowd, and found out, if you do not make good grades, you cannot play high school sports! My Junior year was my toughest year! The only thing that made me feel normal was sports.

Am I an athlete?

09/04/1995

I tried out for the basketball team and made it!

Am I a star?

Approx. 11/06/1995

I was so athletic and competitive during my basketball games and gym class, other coaches started to recognize me. I was asked so many times to try out for different sports, but I really had no interest. It did made me feel good though.

School record setter & breaker

Approx. 02/05/1996

I finally gave into the track coach, I came out to a meet, and boy I hated running. But One thing I found, my new passion, triple jumping & the first ever Lady Ram Triple Jumper in school history.

Homeless

04/07/1997 - 02/02/1998

I was kicked out by my parents. My rebellion, staying out late, hanging with the wrong crowd, got too much for my parents. I was living at different friends houses, and staying by my Aunt until the end of my Senior year.

Getting straight

01/01/1998

I decided to straighten my self out, and get right with my parents and school. I also made a decision that would change my life forever... I spoke to an Army recruiter.